Verb: That's What's Happening
"Verb: That's What's Happening" is a song written by Bob Dorough and performed by Zachary Sanders. Genesis A song of the same topic was proposed by Dave Frishberg, but denied. It was originally called "A World Without Verbs" and takes a bleak look of a world without verbs, thus no one could commit any action. Had it been approved, the idea would have been to have the superhero Verb come to the rescue by introducing the concept of verbs. Summary The song, an homage to Shaft and other Blaxploitation films, features a young black boy who learns about about verbs from a movie starring his favorite superhero, Verb. Verb is notable for being the first animated black superhero, although Bill Cosby's character "The Brown Hornet" debuted shortly afterwards, and was featured in Fat Albert & the Cosby Kids. Both Verb and the Brown Hornet had similar character designs. Lyrics I get my thing in action (Verb!) To be, to sing, to feel, to live (Verb! That's what's happenin') I put my heart in action (Verb!) To run, to go, to get, to give (Verb!) (You're what's happenin') That's where I find satisfaction, yeah! (Yeah!) To search, to find, to have, to hold (Verb! To behold) When I use my imagination (Verb!) I think, I plot, I plan, I dream Turning in towards creation (Verb!) I make, I write, I dance, I sing When I'm feeling really active (Verb!) I run, I ride, I swim, I fly! Other times when life is easy (Oh!) I rest, I sleep, I sit, I lie. (Verb! That's what's happenin') I can take a noun and bend it, Give me a noun (Bat, boat, rake, and plow) Make it a verb and really send it! (Show me how) Oh, I don't know my own power. (Verb!) I get my thing in action (Verb!) In being, (Verb!) In doing, (Verb!) In saying A verb expresses action, being, or state of being. (A verb makes a statement.) Yeah, a verb tells it like it is! (Verb! That's what's happenin'.) I can tell you when it's happenin', (Past, present, future tense) Ooh! Tell you more about what's happenin', (Say it so it makes some sense) I can tell you who is happenin'! (Verb, you're so intense) Every sentence has a subject. (Noun, person, place, or thing) Find that subject: Where's the action? (Verb can make a subject sing) Take the subject: What is it? (What!) What's done to it? (What!) What does it say? (Verb, you're what's happenin') Oooohh! I can question like: What is it? (Verb, you're so demanding.) I can order like: Go get it! (Verb, you're so commanding.) When I hit I need an object (Verb, hit! Hit the ball!) Ooh! When I see, I see the object (Do you see that furthest wall?) If you can see it there, put the ball over the fence, man! Go ahead. Yeah, alright. What?! He hit it. It's going, it's going, it's gone! (What!) I get my thing in action. (Verb, that's what's happenin') To work, (Verb!) To play, (Verb!) To live, (Verb!) To love... (Verb!...) ''Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks'' Cover Moby performed a cover of this song, including playing all of the instruments used. It is on track 11 of the album. PC game He is featured as a character in the 1995 Creative Wonders Grammar Rock PC game. Here, he is voiced by Wesley Hodges. Verb hosts the mini-game "The Action Zone". Category:Songs Category:Grammar Rock